Immigration can be a complex topic. USC faculty are working to understand and serve the unique needs of immigrants, refugees, and the communities they are part of. Join us for a candid and engaging conversation with two social work experts, Maria Hu and Omar Lopez, at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.Professor Hu spent most of her career as a Psychiatric Social Worker for the LA Unified School District and is a consultant for the U.S. Department of Education as an educator on resilience strategies for educators. She developed a mental health initiative with the Consulate of El Salvador in Los Angeles to provide free short-term counseling regardless of immigration status.Professor Lopez is a former undocumented immigrant from Mexico with significant professional experience in the field of immigration. He is the principal investigator of an international project that is seeking to improve the child protection system in El Salvador.
Homelessness is a hot button topic, but what exactly is it? USC faculty are at the forefront of pinpointing the underlying causes and unique social, emotional, and healthcare needs of people experiencing homelessness. Join us for a candid and engaging conversation with two social work experts, Benjamin Henwood and Eric Rice, of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.Professor Henwood is a national proponent of "Housing First," a model focusing on placing people in permanent supportive housing. He is also co-lead of the national Grand Challenge to End Homelessness. Professor Rice focuses on youth experiencing homelessness and works with colleagues in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering to merge social work science and artificial intelligence, utilizing technology to seek novel solutions to homelessness.Both professors teach students in the USC Master of Social Work (MSW) program and use real world examples and research to prepare students to make an impact in their communities.